Feltje Sjoeks was born in Engwierum, Friesland,
the Netherlands on April 28, 1831. She was the sister of Jan Pieters
Sjoeks
and came to the United States with Jan and Wytske Hoogland Sjoeks and
their
children. In addition, seven servants also joined them on their journey
to
the "New Country".

Feltje was "engaged" to a young man from the Netherlands. However, he
went
out to sea and never returned; he was "lost at sea." Feltje became
despondent
over this loss and never recovered from the emotional trauma. Prior to
this
time, she had been an avid writer and left behind many essays and other
forms
of writing. What happened to them? No one seems to know. Jan and Wytske
assumed
responsibility for her keep and care. She lived with them for the rest
of
her life moving with them to the farm in Antrim County, Michigan.

Feltje, who never married, died on February 7, 1916, and was buried in
the
Atwood Cemetery although there was no indication of her exact burial
site.
On May 30, 2000, with the help of John Hastings, the funeral director
in
Ellsworth, Michigan, the original records of burials for Atwood
Cemetery
were reviewed. Feltje is listed only as "old lady" in the grave at the
north
end of the plot of Jan, Wytske and Walter Shooks (Sjoeks).

Thanks to a collection taken up at the 2000 Shooks reunion, a marker
was purchased for Feltje's grave and placed there in late July
2000. Below is a photo of the marker:

This story was submitted by Janet Shooks Dean. Thanks to
Winifred
Shooks Green and the late Walter Shooks for relating details of
Feltje's
life. Also, thanks to John Hastings for his help and patience in the
search
for Feltje's grave site. Vital statistics, name and burial information
obtained
from the Antrim County Courthouse records, Bellaire, Michigan.